Manikins or portions of manikins are known in the art for teaching cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) techniques and other rescue skills. Some manikins known in the art can weigh as much as 105 to 165-lbs. Some manikins known in the art can be placed in water for training and testing water rescue skills. For example, Simulaids, Inc. offers water rescue manikins constructed of plastic with a rust-resistant skeleton and articulating joints. This manikin may weight about 22-lbs. When placed in water, small holes in the legs and arms allow the manikin to fill with water and take on weight. A valve located at the shoulder of the manikin can be opened so that the torso can be filled with water. When filled, the manikin sinks to about its neck or mouth level in the water. A brick can be positioned in a hole defined in the abdomen of the manikin so it can be submerged in the water.
Even though the manikin may weigh only about 22-lbs, it may hold a significant amount of water weight once submerged in the water and even after being removed from the water. Such prior art water rescue manikins can be supplied with a lung, a mouthpiece, and an airway valve system so that rescuers can simulate breathing techniques on the manikin. However, such prior art water rescue manikins may not allow a rescuer to simulate a proper chest compression technique.
On way to test the rescue and lifesaving skills of lifeguards is to determine how long it takes them to identify a potential drowning victim at the bottom of a pool. Ideally, such a test is performed in a real world environment where any number of distractions may be present. Research indicates that the amount of time for lifeguards to identify a potential victim (i.e., a manikin) at the bottom of a pool needs improvement. Using existing manikins to test the detection skills of lifeguards is less than ideal because the existing manikins submerge slowly in the water-sometimes up to several minutes. Moreover, the additional weight required to submerge the exiting manikins makes them more cumbersome to set up and handle when testing rescue skills.
Accordingly, what is needed is an aquatic doll that quickly submerses in water and that can be used to test the detection, rescue, and lifesaving skills of rescuers in a real world environment. The subject matter of the present disclosure is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.